


The End is the Beginning | Redux

by GuardianMars



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst and Feels, Gen, background kidge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 18:49:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17065181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuardianMars/pseuds/GuardianMars
Summary: It's been emotional.





	The End is the Beginning | Redux

It’s five days since it happened. Five days since Voltron stopped Honerva once and for all. Five days since Allura…

Lance sighs, he doesn’t want to think about it any more than he has to. Unfortunately, right now he has to. The entire Atlas crew wants to celebrate the victory of the universe and that means the paladins of Voltron have to be front and center - even if Lance would rather be curled up under a pile of blankets. Because you can’t be sad if you’re unconscious, right?

He sighs again, and pulls out the outfit he wore for his first (and as it turns out, last) date with Allura. He made some great memories that day, and the clothes remind him of that. He buttons up his shirt, he’s going to need every last comfort item if he’s going to make it through the end of the night.

 

\--- --- ---

 

Hunk is in the kitchen, helping the staff with last minute preparations. Does the staff actually need his help? No. Would they work faster without Hunk there? Probably. Is the staff going to kick out the young paladin who is clearly grieving the loss of a dear friend? Hell no. It’s the first time he’s stepped foot in the kitchens since the lions came back to the Atlas sans one paladin. If Hunk decides he wants to make a chocolate fountain from scratch, then they will help him melt all the chocolate he needs.

Sal turns to Hunk. “Hey, kid. Help me out with this flour, will ya? I can’t get the consistency right.”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, no problem.” Hunk takes over for Sal, his movement mechanical and stiff. Sal’s not sure what the right words are to say, or if those words even exist in the first place. But what he does know is that Hunk needs to stay occupied. If he’s busy cooking and baking and prepping, well then he’s too busy to dwell. And Sal knows from personal experience how necessary that can be at times like this.

Hunk, for his part, knows what the kitchen staff are doing. They are simply too skilled by this point to be having trouble with dough inconsistencies or uneven baking. But he doesn’t say anything and neither does the staff.

Hunk always comes alive in the kitchen. Even when he’s upset or has something clearly on his mind. It’s the one place he truly feels at home. And right now, home is something that he desperately needs.

 

\--- --- ---

 

Keith has been sparring with Krolia for the past two hours.

For the last hour, his form has gotten sloppy. And the past half hour Keith has given up any semblance of strategy and is just mindlessly hitting and kicking at Krolia.

Krolia could have ended the fight ages ago, but doesn’t. Instead, she blocks and deflects and keeps Keith on his toes just enough that he won’t fly into a grief-filled rage. None of the paladins have been sleeping since they came back to the Atlas. They’ve fully separated themselves from the Atlas crew holing up in Hunk’s room, and Krolia knows through Colleen that they aren’t eating much either.

Krolia sighs as she takes in her son’s appearance. He looks haggard and wan. The celebratory function is tonight and the paladins are expected to be there. Shiro, at least, has made sure that no speeches will be given.

She’ll give Keith ten more minutes before making him shower and get ready. And tonight, he will eat something. She’ll make sure of it.

 

\--- --- ---

 

It’s the first time Pidge is with her family for longer than an hour since she and the others came back to the Atlas.

Colleen had been periodically checking on them since no one else seems to have the nerve. She understood that they needed time to recover, but they also needed food and water and sleep during their voluntary exile from the crew.

So, Colleen did little welfare checks everyday. She brought small plates of food and water, blankets and pillows, and changes of clothes since they’ve all piled into Hunk’s room. When it was announced that there would be a celebratory dinner, she was worried that they would take to their lions and just leave. But so far, they’ve stayed. Colleen took this as a good sign.

An even better one was when her daughter appeared in the greenhouse the next day. Her lab assistants thankfully left for a lunch break to allow them some privacy. Katie looked like a mess, dark circles under her eyes, hair a rat’s nest. Colleen didn’t say anything even though she wanted to take her daughter in her arms and promise her that everything would be okay.

Instead, she just waited.

“Um,” Katie starts only to pause, she has to clear her throat. “I was wondering if you could help me with my outfit. I know the dinner’s not for another few nights but I don’t want this to be at the last minute.”

Colleen looked to her daughter holding a small bundle of clothing in her arms.

“Of course, Katie. What did you have in mind?”

\---

It's the night of and Pidge shifts again and sighs. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

“Nonsense,” Colleen objects. “You look very nice, you just aren’t fully ready yet. Wait for Romelle to finish and then judge the finished product.”

Romelle nods, pins in her mouth. “You’ll look simply divine, Pidge!”

Katie sighs again, hands folded in her lap pointedly not looking in the mirror. Colleen’s heart feels likes it’s in a vice. She smoothes out invisible wrinkles on Katie's sleeve for the fifth time.

Her daughter needs time, and she will give it to her.

 

\--- --- ---

 

Shiro sighs at he exits the bridge. It’s an hour before the dinner and he’ll have just enough time to shower and change. He is pushing it though.

He’s been pushing it a lot lately. Throwing himself into staying on the Bridge at all hours. He had initially only left to sleep and shower. It wasn’t until the third day that when he tried to enter the Bridge, he found his access code wasn’t working.

Iverson came out, “Son, you need rest. Some _actual_ rest.” He said before Shiro could respond. Shiro couldn’t exactly argue with that, but found himself at a loss of what to do with his sudden downtime. He was sitting just outside the rec room when Colleen happened upon him.

With a little manhandling and sheer force of will, Shiro found himself eating with the Holt family. They don't say anything about Pidge or anything else Voltron related. Colleen tells them about the greenhouse and Matt mentions some seeds he had picked up ages ago. And it's ... nice. Sam used to invite him to family dinners, and while there is a noticeable absence - he finds himself slowly relaxing. Colleen asks for his help on some simple tasks that Shiro doesn’t have the heart to say no to, and that take just long enough that Shiro doesn’t have time to focus on things.

He doesn't thank them, he doesn't have to.

 

\--- --- ---

 

It’s the night of the celebration. Everyone is happy and everyone is ignoring the giant elephant in the room.

The paladins have been scarce. Only the Yellow paladin has been seen here and there, mostly with food prep but pausing long enough to check on people. If someone looks like they are going to bother Hunk too much, Veronica or Rizavi are suddenly there chatting up the person allowing Hunk to make a quiet escape.

Lance is pulling a Keith and avoiding everyone. Fortunately, everyone is pretending not to notice and letting the Red paladin be.

Keith and Shiro arrived at the same time and decided that the best offense is a good defense and have remained together. If someone’s topic of conversation veers towards uncomfortable territory, Keith stares them down until they go away. Otherwise, Shiro takes the lead and manages with small talk that Keith has yet to master.

Keith has strategically positioned them by the nearest exit, so when the people closest to him grow quiet he is the first to see why.

Pidge has finally arrived. Romelle and her mother are just behind her, but Keith doesn’t notice them. Pidge is, Keith feels a warmth flush his neck. Pidge is absolutely beautiful.

Her hair is pulled back, and though it’s still short, Keith can see that it’s a classic Altean style that Allura had always favored. She’s wearing a soft white dress. Before he can say anything, Lance is standing before her.

Lance takes her look in, tears pricking his eyes.

Pidge is in the dress Allura wore on their date, tailored to fit her smaller frame. Pidge fidgets. “I hope you don't mind, but I just, I wanted to...” She trails off slowly, as Lance shakes his head.

“Not at all,” he says gently. “She would have wanted you to have it.” He takes her hand and pulls her into a hug, he understands that he is not the only one grieving Allura. Hunk joins them then, and just like that, it’s just the five of them again. The five (original) paladins of Voltron. Nothing to worry about in the moment. Just enjoying each other’s company. Lance’s heart fills full to bursting. He places a hand on his chest.

And suddenly, the warmth that was spreading in Lance’s chest turns into a glow. The others look on surprised. Hell, Lance is surprised. But not scared. Any other time, he’d probably be freaked out but this warmth feels familiar.  

_Allura_.

The glow expands and they are no longer on the deck of the Atlas. They aren’t on the spiritual plane either but perhaps somewhere in between? Is that possible? Lance wonders.

Allura isn’t there but he can still feel her presence.

_Even if we are not together, you are all my family._

The glow fades and when Lance is no longer seeing spots, he sees that they are back on the deck of the ship. The party around them continues as if nothing had happened. 

“Did we just -” Hunk asks looking at the others.

“Was that Allura?” Pidge asks. Lance is about to answer when he takes a good look at her. “Holy hell, Pidge, your face!"

Everyone looks to Pidge. There resting on her cheeks as if they had always been there, are green Altean marks. Pidge presses a hand to her cheek.

“What. What is it?” She asks looking to the others, but pausing as she takes in their appearance.

Lance looks to the others. Keith, Hunk, and Shiro each have markings of their own. He reaches his hand to his cheek; feels the warmth there and he can’t help himself, he starts crying.

He’s laughing too at least, so that’s something right?

Pidge, hand still on her face, looks perplexed. “I don’t understand.”

Lance smiles gently. “Pidge, we’re family. Even if we’re not together. We’re still family.”

The others look startled at what Lance has just said.

Shiro blinks tears away. “That’s right.” He says as if he’s just remembered something previously forgotten. “We’re a family, no matter what.”

Hunk is openly crying, and Lance reaches over to hug him.

Keith nods at what Shiro’s said and adds, “Family doesn’t give up on each other.”

Shiro chuckles, wiping at his eyes. “You have an awfully good memory, Keith.”

Keith laughs swiping at his eyes as Shiro drags him into a hug. Hunk sees this and pull both of them closer to a group hug.

Pidge looks to the others, hands on her face. She feels a soft warmth emanating from the marks. It’s a warmth that matches the one in her heart.

_Even if we are not together, we are still family._

“And you are ours, Princess.” Pidge murmurs as the others look to her. Keith gently takes her wrist pulling her to them.

_Family. My dear family._

**Author's Note:**

> Uh, this one is based off a lovely fanart: http://linipik.tumblr.com/post/181202869254/what-if-allura-left-a-part-of-her-quintessence
> 
> Also, I think maybe I misunderstood what 'fix-it' fics entail. Pls don't hurt me.


End file.
